


Eliza's High School Reunion

by JetGirl1832, tomatopudding



Series: The Hamilton Family Album [38]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cliques, Gen, High School, Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-05
Updated: 2017-05-05
Packaged: 2018-10-28 13:01:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10831797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JetGirl1832/pseuds/JetGirl1832, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tomatopudding/pseuds/tomatopudding
Summary: Welcome to Eliza's 25th high school reunion.





	Eliza's High School Reunion

The halls of Bishop Maginn High School hadn't really changed over the years, Eliza noted. The same paintings and pictures on the walls, the same ornate cross at the entrance of the cafeteria where she was now standing and waiting in line to receive her name tag.

Eliza's memories of high school were fond, she found it hard to believe that she had graduated twenty-five years ago. She smiled thinking back on all that had happened in those last twenty-five years. 

Angelica had teased that Eliza would not have nearly as much fun having getting through night sober, that she hadn't at her own the year before.

Eliza shuffled forward in the line.

"Name," One of her former classmates muttered without looking up from the clipboard with a list full of names.

"Eliza Hamilton," Eliza replied.

She wondered briefly if she should have given her maiden name. Although she'd gone to the five and ten year reunions, she'd been a bit too busy with her kids to go to the fifteen year reunion. Now they'd slowed down to every ten years instead of every five, she hoped to be more available to go to the upcoming reunions. Especially, she thought, placing a hand on her belly that was just barely beginning to distend, if they didn't have any more kids. 

"Here you are," the classmate said, giving her a wan smile as she handed her the name tag. 

 

Eliza pinned it to the lapel of her jacket and began looking around for people she knew. Strolling around she was greeted by several former classmates of hers.

 

She hasn't exactly been popular in high school, but she hadn't been unpopular either, so most people were happy to stop and chat. Some recognized her as the wife of Treasury Secretary Hamilton, but she didn't make a point of it when they didn't.

She fetched herself a glass of water and started heading towards a table to sit for a moment.

"Eliza Schuyler!"

Eliza turned to find herself face to face with none other than Alida Orsen. Eliza and Alida hadn't been best friends, but they'd mostly gotten along except when they were competing for grades, which happened quite often. Alida hadn't been at the previous reunions so this was the first time Eliza had seen her in twenty five years.

"Hello Alida," Eliza put on a smile and walked over towards her.

They'd gotten into a particularly bitter fight not long before graduation but Eliza was not one to let that loom over her, that was so long ago it didn't even matter. Besides it seemed Alida didn't care either, they could at least be friendly with each other.

"It's so great to see you," Alida gushed, "How have you been? I'm doing very well. I've been a senior partner at my law firm for four years now and there's been talk of me becoming a named partner by December. Can you imagine? Fellows, Johnson, and Orsen: Attorneys at Law."

Eliza simply smiled as Alida went on. She had never really been the humble kind. Alida continued to talk and Eliza politely nodded listening.

"And what about you?"

Eliza blinked, the question caught her off guard, Alida was actually asking her a personal question?

"Well, I'm married," she replied, "for about twenty years now. We have six kids and," Eliza smiled, "another on the way."

Alida looked very confused. 

"I never would have thought you would have settled for being a housewife," she said, her tone scornful. 

Eliza was taken aback. Settle? She'd never felt like she was settling. She loved her life, she was proud of all of her children and of her husband. Not to mention, working as an elementary school teacher was brilliant and so fulfilling.

"I would hardly call it settling," Eliza said, brow furrowed.

"Well, it's hardly a glamorous life," Alida scoffed, "spending all day cleaning up after kids and cooking for your husband. I don't have time for those kinds of things, I'm too busy making a difference and helping defend people who can't defend themselves. That kind of life doesn't combine with having a family."

"Is that so?" Eliza asked, raising an eyebrow, "I'll have you know that my husband is Alexander Hamilton, the Treasury Secretary of the United States. Before that, he would as a defense attorney for the state of New York. He is also one of the most attentive fathers I have ever known as well as being a loving husband."

Alida looked taken aback but Eliza was far from being done.

"And you really think being a mother is really thankless work?" Eliza continued.

"I-"

"My son is graduating high school in a year and he's already been accepted into Columbia University, where both my husband and I graduated. My daughter is one of the most brilliant pianists I have ever heard. And that's just the oldest two," Eliza took a deep breath, "If you don't understand just how wonderful motherhood can be, then I feel sorry for you."

Alida looked as if she was about to say something but she went quiet.

"Look," Eliza sighed, "I know that motherhood isn't for everyone and I respect your choice to focus on your career, but don't even pretend that you wouldn't be able to make time for a family if you decided to have one. So don't go looking down your nose at me just because I've made a different choice with my life."

Alida blushed, "I'm sorry... And you're right."

Eliza raised her brows, in the thirty years she'd known her not once did she ever apologize to her or admit that she was wrong.

"Now that that's behind us, maybe we can move on?" Eliza suggested. 

Alida smiled, "I'd like that. You've changed a lot, Eliza."

"All for the better I hope," laughed Eliza.

"Hey you stood up for yourself against me," Alida laughed, "you never used to do that."

"It's hard not to pick up a few things when you're married to Alex," Eliza sighed, "he's at least a thousand times better in an argument then me-"

"Oh?" Alida raised her brow.

"But he'll never win against me," Eliza smirked.

Alida burst into laughter. 

"Housewife or workforce, women rule the world," she teased. 

"I'll drink to that," said Eliza. 

She clinked her water glass against Alida's. 

 

"Alright everyone it's time for our senior superlatives," Emily Barrett said as she walked up onto the stage.

 

The murmuring quieted down as people began to take their seats.

"As you may recall the yearbook staff selected these for us," Emily smiled, "and I thought it might be fun to go for a trip down memory lane."

"Oh no..." Eliza sighed remembering that many of her high school fashion choices had been well... Questionable.

The first image that appeared on the screen was of Emily herself, the progression of all four picture day photos showing how she'd changed over her time at Bishop Maginn.

"Now for those of you who don't recall I was selected as 'Best Dressed'," Emily grinned, "and I think that still holds true."

Laughter flitted through the assembled group of women. Emily pressed a button and the image changed. As she went through her classmates, showing Alida as 'Most Likely to Succeed' among them, Eliza was drawn almost into a sense of security. Then, her pictures appeared and Eliza groaned slightly, her cheeks flushing. She remember how hard she had worked every morning to get her stick-straight hair into the fluffed and volume-filled messy style she'd had so adored.

The look on Alex's face when he'd seen these pictures... He hadn't let her live it down for nearly a week. By the time she had started college she'd toned down on the hair products. 

"Eliza Schuyler, our busiest senior," Emily grinned, "always busy doing something."

"Still busy," Eliza called out and everyone laughed.

It was true, while she was never quite as busy as Alex was she rarely found herself being idle, six kids could easily do that to you.

When they had finished with the superlatives, Emily clicked over to the class photo they had taken on graduation day. Being a private school, the graduating class only had about 60 girls in it, but it had been an ordeal to get them all squeezed together without anybody getting their eye poked at by a mortarboard. 

"Now, I'd like to invite someone very special to come up to the stage," Emily said, "We're very touched that she's come out of retirement to talk to us. Principal Margaret, where are you?"

They all started clapping as Principal Margaret approached the stage, Eliza had to blink because the woman looked like she'd hardly changed a bit. Sure her hair and more grey in it, but those were the same steely blue eyes Eliza remembered.

Not that she'd been on the receiving end of that unyielding glare... Well at least not frequently.

Principal Margaret smiled beatifically out at them, pushing her wire-framed glasses further up her nose. 

"It's so wonderful to see all of your faces again so many years later," she said, "It's surprising just how many of you I could recognize even without those name tags."

Eliza smiled as she listened.

"Being the first principal at a new school was not an easy task, but I think I stuck it out for a good while," Principal Margaret smiled. 

Eliza remembered, she'd been there through herself and her sisters and for quite a time after that.

"And now, when I see all the great accomplishments you all have made, it fills me with such joy to know that you made your start here in these halls."

Eliza began to feel tears pricking at her eyes, perhaps it hormones, combined with being sentimental.

"It was a joy and a blessing to have you all in my life," Principal Margaret concluded, "You've done fantastic things in the past twenty five years, keep doing fantastic things for the next twenty five."

A huge cheer erupted as all 60 of them rose to their feet to applaud their principal.

\----------

When it was time to go Eliza said goodbye to her high school friends, even Alida.

"You know what you should call me," Alida handed Eliza one of her business cards, "we could have dinner, you could bring your family."

Eliza took the card, "I would love to when we're in town, they key is to tear Alex away from his work but there are certainly some strings I can pull in the White House."

Alida chuckled, "I doubt doubt it."

"I'll warn you, my family is a bit of a handful," Eliza said, "especially with all the kids around."

"It'll be a pleasure to meet them," Alida smiled.

With one final hug, Eliza made her way to her car, pulling out her phone to call her mother and let her know she would be back soon.


End file.
